I remember them, and you described them perfectly.

I forgot those things existed. What a flashback.

Oh I remember. I borrowed my friends collection of hitchhiker's guide read by Douglas Adams and copied every one. Kept them all in a shoebox for years!
I would fall asleep listening to them, then the next night before bed spend ages rewinding and checking and rewinding to find the spot I last remembered listening to before falling asleep. To then fall asleep within 5 minutes and repeat the whole process again the following night.
Good times.

Hmm I see. I think I got a set of felt-tip pens in a book-shaped plastic case like that once.

I had a blind friend with a (preinternet) collection of braille and audio books that filled her entire 600 square foot apartment. Shelves upon shelves upon shelves. I don't know if you've ever seen them, but braille books are physically enormous. They have to make the paper extra thick and special to print (punch tactile holes) on both sides of the page. It's really neat. One of them was a Bible on vinyl. I can't remember who recorded it but pulling it out of my ass I'd bet good money on Donny Osmond

Public libraries still do this! I think it's CDs now though.

-- Frost

"and yea did they still refuse to join the union because they'd rather spend €50 per year on games than union dues"

Agreed. You see it everywhere. No wonder they're depressed